Chili con carne

This chili with meat recipe serves up a great one-dish meal. You can prepare ahead and freeze it if you need to.

Ingredients

1 large onion, finely chopped
2 large cloves of garlic, or more to taste
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 pound very lean ground beef
1 28-ounce can tomatoes
2 or 3 tablespoons tomato purée
2 1/2 cups cooked kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 or more jalapeno peppers, to taste
1 cup diced green peppers
1 cups sliced carrots
1 cup diced celery
1 cup corn kernels (optional)

Spices
5 teaspoons brown sugar
5 teaspoons mild chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

Directions

1. In a large, deep heavy skillet, sauté the onion and garlic in the oil until the vegetables are softened.
2. Add the meat, browning it and stirring it to break up the pieces. Drain off any fat that accumulates in the pan.
3. Add the tomatoes and their liquid and tomato paste and all of the seasonings. Heat the mixture until it is bubbly, reduce the heat, cover the pan and simmer the chili for about 30 minutes.
4. Add the kidney beans, jalapeno pepper, green pepper, carrots and celery. Simmer the chili, covered, about 20 minutes longer or until the carrots are softened. If desired, add corn kernels to the pot after 10 minutes.